Our DIY Painted Map Wall
If you have been following along, you’ll know that we revealed The Loft in Maine earlier this week. But, what you didn’t see was the amazing accent wall that Stephen hand-painted. We felt like it needed its own moment! This isn’t the first time he painted a wall mural (remember his hand-painted faux wallpaper in the Plaid room, or the hand-painted Mountain Scene for Zayn?), but it’s a creative process that he loves, and it can make a project so much more unique!
// Disclaimer: While this is not a sponsored blog post, we have been long time fans of and partners with FrogTape. It's our go-to brand for most diy projects and having the right painter's tape was so important in creating this feature wall.
Pretty amazing, right?
Midcoast Maine has become a very special place to us - a little safe haven of coziness and creativity. Over this last year or so, our favorite feature of this house hasn’t wavered. Can you guess it?
If you guessed the tidal river that runs right through our own backyard - you’d be right. We love watching the tides change and the nature change right along with them. You know we LOVE a bird moment. But also, correlating the waterways with where you are on a map takes time and patience -and is so much fun for us.
// Fun Fact: Maine’s coastline is one of the longest in the country, far surpassing that of California!
All that being said - we were very inspired to create a map wall - and this typography mural is the perfect backdrop and special focal point for our Loft.
Materials
Laser Level - truly one of our favorite things and most used tools
Over the Summer, we got an Anker projector that we set up in the backyard for movie nights. While it is a steep price tag, we’ve found this to be so versatile and it was an important part of this project.
Wall Paint Color: Benjamin Moore’s Capitol White in Regal Select Interior Paint - Flat (Many of our most used and favorite paint colors come from BM's Williamsburg collection)
Topography Paint Color: Benjamin Moore’s Hardwood Putty in Satin - A quart was more than enough paint for our wall - you could likely even get away with sample paint!
Grid Color: Benjamin Moore’s Walnut in Satin
Artist Brushes - We know these look small, but they do fan out a little more once you start using them. Having a small paint brush is the best way to trace the map lines and details
The Process
While we wouldn't say this is a simple DIY project, it doesn't necessarily require expert skill - it's really a test of patience and steady hands! To begin with, this was just a white wall against what is essentially a walkway to our master bedroom. With no place for furnishings, we knew we wanted to do something visually interesting.
We have anticipated this project for some time and started collecting maps a while ago - from antique stores, yard sales (great way to pick up cool finds for low cost), we even got one as a birthday gift. We also included this map from a local creator with a shop in Camden Maine. Between these maps, we added some more abstract patterns and geometric shapes.
// Arrange the Art & Lights
To start, we laid out all of the art and played around with how we wanted to arrange it. We love the bold color of some of these pieces, and wanted to make sure that each was in a position that would make the whole thing look like a perfect puzzle! The easiest way to do this is to trace your art, frames included, on a paper roll. We've also done this on the backside of wrapping paper that has a grid - really easy way to make sure everything is level. Then, add some painter's tape - we used this Delicate Surface FrogTape - to the back of each picture frame and mark where the holes are. Transfer the tape to the frame cut out and you're ready to go!
During this phase we also marked where we wanted to put each light fixture. We love a picture light, but these circular sconces have a funkier feel and they pivot so you can uplight, or angle them down at the art.
// Trace the Mural
It took a little bit of finagling, but once we found the map we wanted to trace, we used the projector to project it onto the entire wall. PS: Stephen did need to do some pre-work for this project in photoshop, but many designs should be just plug and play. You can zoom in or out to determine your murals density. The paint we used was just one shade darker than the base color on the fan deck! Typically we do a couple coats of paint, but this time we just did the one. Again, we wanted a discreet look.
If you don't have access to a projector, wall stencils are another alternative for a fun accent wall. Or, go rogue and free-hand!
// Placing the Grid
Once the paint dried we set up the projector to create a grid that would mimic the latitude and longitude lines you find on a map. We decided how many lines, and where, by trial and error -keeping in mind all of the art that would hang in front of it. We then marked the edges of each line up the left side and across the bottom. This is where we set our laser level for taping.
// Tape & Paint
We used Delicate Surface FrogTape because we didn’t want to damage the newly painted map. We used the reference marks and the laser to create the entire grid - before cutting out the intersections with a new razor blade. With the grid complete we simply painted in the lines!
Pro Tip: Make sure to remove the tape before the paint fully dries for really clean lines
// Hang Art
With the grid painted and dried, we simply hung the art in the spots that we previously determined and we were done!
Final Thoughts
If you like the look of wallpaper, but it's either too expensive or feels like too big of a project, this is a great way to keep your project low budget. It makes a bold statement in the room and the best part is that it also reflects you and your own personal style - and that's what designing a space is all about!
This project helps make the whole room feel layered, and there's so much to look at. It might be a while until Stephen takes on his next painting project, but it was well worth it for this big impact this feature wall!
Now we're ready to kick back and relax!
